Part 2: Web app

Part 1 of this article gave us a panorama of native app and its attributes. This part 2 will analyze mobile web app based on the same aspects so that we can easily compare the two to see which one could provide a better solution for businesses.

How does a mobile web app work?

Mobile web app utilizes web and web browser technologies to fulfill tasks over a network. Several examples of web apps can be listed: m.facebook.com, mobile.twitter.com, etc.

In what aspects do web apps surpass native apps?

Unlike native apps that lack cross-platform, web apps are convenient for both users and developers: They do not require installation and they can function well on different mobile browsers that support HTML and Javascript. Programmers are at ease when working with web apps since the programming languages to be in use are the popular HTML and Javascript. While the development of different versions of native apps needs manifold resources, things seem quite easier and less costly for web apps in both developing and updating progresses. Furthermore, App Stores restriction has nothing to do with the distribution of web apps; there is no need to wait for approval from those App Stores when applications can come directly to end users. Read more: top in-demand programming languages

Native apps or web apps? (Image by http://www.thinslices.com/)

What are the drawbacks?

Web apps can be more adaptable than native apps to some extents, yet they fail to deliver the same degree of quality and performance that native apps exclusively can. Web apps are also incapable of accessing device hardware features the way native apps do. The biggest drawback web apps have not been able to overcome is that they are of no use without internet connection, and their performance depends a lot on network connectivity, speed and bandwidth.